Stony Brook can clinch regular-season title this week

Stony Brook (20-8, 12-2 America East) can clinch its fourth regular-season conference title in the past five seasons with a sweep this week of its two toughest rivals. The Seawolves play at Vermont (19-9, 13-1) on Thursday and host Albany (14-13, 8-6) on Sunday.

A win over the Catamounts would give SBU a series sweep and the tiebreaker for top seed in the conference tournament if each wins its season finale. That's not a given for the Seawolves, who previously lost at Albany.

The America East is a one-bid conference and the Seawolves never have made it to the NCAA, losing twice in the conference final in the past four seasons and twice in the semifinals, including last season at Albany, where the first two rounds of this year's tournament again will be held. The championship game will be March 15 at the home of the highest remaining seed.